YOUNG MAN CHARGED

Hokitika Guardian, 14 June 1929, Page 6

YOUNG MAN CHARGED

SENDS THREATENING LETTERS

(By Telegraph—Press Association);

AUCKLAND, June 13

A charge that, with menaces, ho demanded £22 10s from Samuel Arthur on June,sth, with intent to steal that sum, was preferred against Claude Edgar Young, aged 26 years, in the Police Court to-day.

Chief Detective Hammond said that it was a peculiar case. Young had once worked with Arthur, when.some years ago they had been in the habit of taking girls out for motor drives. Subsequently the accused left Arthur’s employ. Ho conceived the idea of getting some, easy money .out of Arthur, and wrote him the following letter:— “I have been to my lawyer about a separation order from my wile. 1 have ample proof that you have been taking her about with you w’hile your own wife was absent. My word, that was downright mean of you, Arthur! If 1 got £22 10s from you by Wednesday to pay my solicitor’s costs, 1 won’t go any further with the mattei. You are getting off light.”

Young, added Mr Hammond, rather than sign his own name, employed a Home tie plume, giving as his address, “Care of Parnell Post Office.” The letter also contained the following “P.S.” : “You are a rotten devil to give my wife .drink.’’ Mrs Arthur got possession of the letter, and she wrote to the address given, asking for further partieulais,and asking the writer to make an appointment with her. Young, still under another name, again wrote to Arthur. Mrs Artiuir was a sensible woman to hand the letter over to her husband, and the matter was afterwards reported to tne police. He suggested that, the charge might he reduced to one of attempted theft and be dealt with by the Magistrate. Young had never been in any trouble previously. Mr Singer said that Young had been in desperate straits, and had been out of work. It was only then that he devised this scheme. Arthur owed him some money, but, of course, that did not palliate the offence. Magistrate Hunt: “This is bhickmail, you know.” “Hardly, ’ sir,” replied counsel. “Anyway, as Your Worship can see, Young is not a desperado by any means.”

The Magistrate decided to remand Young for sentence! until to-morrow, so that a report might be obtained from the probation officer in the meantime..